interjection

An interjection or exclamation describes a noun without a grammatical connection with the rest of the sentence and simply expresses emotion on the part of the speaker, although most interjections have clear definitions. Filled pauses such as uh, er, um, are also considered interjections. Interjections are generally uninflected function words and have sometimes been seen as sentence-words, because they can replace or be replaced by a whole sentence (they are holophrastic). Sometimes, however, interjections combine with other words to form sentences, but not with finite verbs. When an exclamation point is not needed, a comma can take the place.

Interjections are used when the speaker encounters events that cause these emotions — unexpectedly, painfully, surprisingly, or in many other sudden ways. However, several languages have interjections that cannot be related to emotions.

The word "interjection" literally means "thrown in between" from the Latin inter ("between") and iacere ("throw").

Interjections are words used to express strong feeling or sudden emotion. They are included in a sentence usually at the start to express a sentiment such as surprise, disgust, joy, excitement, or enthusiasm.

Examples in English

Conventions like Hello, Bye, and Goodbye are interjections, as are exclamations like Cheers! and Hurray!. In fact is like a noun or an a pronoun, very often they are characterized by exclamation marks depending on the stress of the attitude or the force of the emotion they are expressing. Well can also be used as an interjection, for example when put at the beginning of a sentence. Much profanity (expletive) takes the form of interjections. Some linguists consider the pro-sentences yes, no, amen and okay as interjections, since they have no syntactical connection with other words and rather work as sentences themselves. Expressions "Excuse me!", "Sorry!", and similar ones often serve as interjections. Interjections can be phrases or even sentences, as well as words, such as "Oh!" or "Wow!".

Phonology

Several English interjections contain sounds that do not, or very rarely, exist in regular English phonological inventory. For example:

• Ahem [əʔəm], [ʔəʔəm], or [ʔəhɛm] ("attention!") contains a glottal stop that is common in German.
• Shh [ʃːː] ("quiet!") is an entirely consonantal syllable.
• Ps [psː] ("here!"), also spelled psst, is another entirely consonantal syllable-word, and its consonant cluster does not occur initially in regular English words.
• Tut-tut [ǀ ǀ] ("shame..."), also spelled tsk-tsk, is made up entirely of clicks, which are an active part of regular speech in several African languages. This particular click is dental. (This also has the spelling pronunciation [tʌt tʌt].)
• Ugh [ʌx] ("disgusting!") ends with a Spanish and Gaelic consonant, a velar fricative.
• Whew or phew [ɸɪu] ("what a relief!"), also spelled shew, starts with a bilabial fricative, a sound pronounced with a strong puff of air through the lips. This sound is a common phoneme in such languages as Suki (a language of New Guinea) and Ewe and Logba (both spoken in Ghana).
• Gah ("Gah, there's nothing to do!") ends with [h], which does not occur with regular English words.
• Yeah [jæ] ("yes") ends with the short vowel [æ], which is not permitted in regular English words.

See also

Look up interjection in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Ejaculation (grammar)
• Discourse marker
• Filler (linguistics)
• Aizuchi
• Words without vowels
• List of interjections by language at Wiktionary.
  • Re, bre, moré (with many variants)
  • Ekh (expression)

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